Application Deadline: May 14th, 2023
Are you a young change-maker looking to make a positive impact in your community? The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is pleased to invite youth-led organizations to apply for the 2023 edition of its Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF). The call is open to organizations from eligible countries whose work seeks to promote peace and social inclusion through improved understanding, respect, and collaboration across borders, cultures, faiths, and beliefs.
Through a competitive evaluation process, YSF will award seed funding of up to USD 25,000 for the implementation of outstanding and impactful projects that use intercultural and interfaith dialogue and are aligned with the mandate and mission of UNAOC. YSF only supports projects that are entirely developed and managed by youth, for the benefit of the whole society, especially youth.
Established in 2008, YSF responded to calls for action made by young civil society leaders worldwide on the importance of establishing funding mechanisms for youth-led organizations. To date, YSF has funded and supported 73 youth-led organizations in more than 40 countries worldwide.
In its tenth edition, YSF continues to provide comprehensive support to youth-led organizations, with a particular focus on the role of young people in promoting peace, respect for other religions and cultures, preventing violent extremism, addressing the root causes of intolerance, stigma and discrimination, and tackling hate speech and its impact on young people. It contributes to the implementation of several global policy frameworks by engaging young people in building peaceful and inclusive societies.
The projects funded by YSF target young people from various backgrounds: students, marginalized youth, minorities, youth in rural or urban areas, youth in conflict or post-conflict situations, artists and activists. The youth-led organizations employ creative methodologies to break stereotypes, improve intercultural relations and promote a culture of peace, including:
- Educational activities, ranging from one-day awareness raising sessions to week-long trainings, peer-education activities, summer camps, as well as development of educational materials and tools and creation of networks of student leaders and youth clubs;
- Arts and sports as tools to address conflict in a non-violent way, to promote inter-community understanding and to raise-awareness about the dangers of sectarianism, extremism and radicalization;
- Media and social-media campaigns, video production for advocacy purposes and radio series to promote messages of tolerance and peace;
- Creative settings that facilitate intercultural dialogue, interfaith understanding, sharing of experiences and learning from each other in order to bring meaningful change to their society.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the UNAOC Youth Solidarity Fund 2023/2024
